Freddie Hart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Freddie Hart
Hart in 1966
Background information
Birth name	Frederick Segrest
Born	(1926-12-21)December 21, 1926 Loachapoka, Alabama, U.S.
Died	October 27, 2018(2018-10-27) (aged 91) Burbank, California, U.S.
Genres	Country, Rockabilly
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1953–2018

Frederick Segrest (born December 21, 1926 – died October 27, 2018), known as Freddie Hart, was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is most famous for his hit song "Easy Loving". This song was so popular it topped the country music charts. It also became his only pop music hit. "Easy Loving" won the Country Music Association Song of the Year award two times, in 1971 and 1972.

Freddie Hart had songs on the music charts from 1953 to 1987. Later in his life, he became a gospel music singer. He continued to perform at music festivals and other events until he passed away in 2018.

Freddie Hart's Life Story

Growing Up and Joining the Military

Freddie Hart was born into a family of sharecroppers in Loachapoka, Alabama. A sharecropper is a farmer who works on land owned by someone else. They pay for using the land with a share of their crops. Freddie grew up in Phenix City, Alabama, with his 11 brothers and sisters.

He started playing the guitar when he was just 5 years old. By age 12, he had left school. When he was 15, Freddie lied about his age to join the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in battles on islands like Guam and Iwo Jima. After the war, Hart lived in California. There, he taught self-defense classes at the Los Angeles Police Academy.

Starting His Music Career

Freddie Hart got his first big break in music when another singer, Carl Smith, recorded his song "Loose Talk" in 1955. This is called a cover. Other famous artists also recorded songs written by Freddie Hart. These included Patsy Cline and George Jones.

In the early 1950s, Freddie and his family moved to California. They wanted to be part of the growing country music scene there. In 1951, he joined Lefty Frizzell's band for a year. Through Frizzell, Hart got his first record deal with Capitol Records in 1953. He released some songs, but they were not very successful at first.

In 1958, Hart signed with Columbia Records. He had his first song on the charts in 1959 with "The Wall." It made it into the Top 20. His biggest hit for Columbia was "The Key's In The Mailbox" in 1960. This song also reached the Top 20. In 1965, Hart signed with Kapp Records. He had several Top 40 hits there, like "Hank Williams' Guitar" (1965) and "Born A Fool" (1968).

The Success of "Easy Loving"

In 1969, Freddie Hart returned to Capitol Records. He became part of the Bakersfield sound, a style of country music. He joined Buck Owens' songwriting company. In 1970, he had a Top 30 hit called "The Whole World's Holdin' Hands."

In 1971, Hart released a song he wrote called "Easy Loving." He had first recorded it in 1969. When it was released in 1971, "Easy Loving" quickly became popular. By September, it was the number one country song for three weeks! It also reached number 17 on the pop music charts. The song won Freddie Hart many awards. These came from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

"Easy Loving" sold over one million copies. This earned it a gold record award. The album with the same name also sold very well. The song even earned Hart a Grammy Award nomination.

After "Easy Loving" became a huge hit, Freddie Hart and his band, The Heartbeats, had many more successful songs. Several of his songs reached number one on the country charts. These included "My Hang-Up Is You" (1972), "Bless Your Heart" (1972), "Got the All Overs For You (All Over Me)" (1972), "Super Kind of Woman" (1973), and "Trip to Heaven" (1973). Fans often called him "The Heart and Soul of Country Music."

With his success, Freddie Hart became very wealthy. He owned a songwriting company and a school for the blind. He also owned a trucking company and several martial arts studios. His hobby was karate, and he was a master of it.

Later Years and Passing Away

Freddie Hart continued to have popular songs in the late 1970s. These songs often reached the Top 20 or Top 30. His last Top 10 hit was "Why Lovers Turn to Strangers" in 1977.

In 1980, Hart signed with Sunbird Records. He had another Top 20 hit with "Sure Thing." He had a few more Top 40 hits in 1981. After this, he was no longer a major country music star. He had a couple of smaller hits in 1985 and 1987. His very last song to chart was "The Best Love I Never Had" in 1987.

In 2001, Freddie Hart was honored. He was added to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. A few years later, a street in Phenix City, Alabama, was named Freddie Hart Parkway in his honor.

In his later years, Hart released new albums. These albums showed his love for gospel music and traditional country sounds. He traveled and performed concerts around the world. He had many fans in Europe and the U.S. He performed at music festivals, universities, and churches.

Freddie Hart kept writing and recording gospel music in the 2000s. He won many awards in the gospel music world. In 2004, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriter's Hall Of Fame. His final performance was in March 2018. He sang a new song he had written about Lefty Frizzell. In April 2018, he recorded his last album, God Bless You. It had 11 new gospel songs and a new version of "Easy Loving."

Freddie Hart passed away on October 27, 2018, in Burbank, California. He died from pneumonia.

Freddie Hart's Music

Freddie Hart released many albums and singles throughout his career. His album Easy Loving reached number one on the country charts in 1971. Many of his songs also topped the country charts, including "My Hang-Up Is You," "Bless Your Heart," "Got the All Overs for You," "Super Kind of Woman," and "Trip to Heaven."

The Heartbeats

Freddie Hart's band was called The Heartbeats. This name was a clever play on his last name. He first used the name for a 1967 album. After the huge success of "Easy Loving" in 1971, many albums were released by "Freddie Hart and the Heartbeats." Different musicians played in The Heartbeats over the years. Some members, like Bobby Wayne and Dennis Hromek, later joined another famous band called the Strangers.

Awards and Honors

Freddie Hart received many awards for his music, especially for his hit song "Easy Loving."